Again, I'm the oldest person in the crowd
Holy growling baby faces, Batman! I got my hair blown back by a bunch of little boys last night, and I liked it.
The last time I saw Black Stone Cherry live, I'd never heard of them and they didn't even have a CD out. But they sure made an impression, this quartet of barely-out-of-high-school rockers with a sound beyond their years and a rhythm section that would jump start King Tut. That was a few years ago. Fast forward to my hearing them on the radio last summer, and purchasing their CD, then proceeding to play the fuck out of it. Now cut to last night, wherein I drove up to Muskegon to catch BSC open for Saliva at a club called Cadillac Jack's. No offense to Saliva (I know one of their songs, Click Click Boom, and I like it a lot), but they were not the main attraction for me; my mission was to see if the lads from Kentucky could still burn up the stage the way they had last time I saw 'em.
There was a Grand Rapids-based band opening the whole show, a group called Pop Evil. They put on a short but fun, energetic show; the cute little lead singer even took his shirt off and stood up on the railing to sing (after which he declared that his legs felt like he'd been up there pooping). I even recognized their single that gets some local play:
The bar is set up in kind of an odd way for live music, as it's a long, narrow room, and the stage is on one side, rather than on the far end. I decided to just stand up by the stage, since I didn't plan to stay for the whole show. It worked out well, as I met some folks while we were waiting, and we hung out the rest of the time I was there. That's the one thing I really dislike about attending these things alone: if I need to get a drink or go to the bathroom, my spot is gone. But last night, I had somebody to save my place while I wandered off, and also some conversation between shows, so it was even a little more fun than it would've been.
When BSC took the stage, the girl I was talking to said, "Wow, they are young!" And they are. They're really just babies. Babies who make a joyful and raucous noise.
What can I say? The guys are all monstrously talented at their instruments, and lead vocalist Chris Robertson (who also trades lead guitar duties with beatifically baby-faced Ben Wells) has a voice that starts right in his balls and doesn't stop until it hits you right between the eyes (or the chin, depending on your preference). By the time their hour-long set was over, I was a sweaty but thoroughly satisfied mess...god, I needed a smoke right about then!
It was so hot crammed in by the stage that I decided to go with my original plan and split after BSC played. I've just about got myself talked into going to see them in Flint at the end of the month, where they will headline and play much longer than an hour. I'm confident I can find my CD by then (I looked for it last night to no avail) so I can get their scribbles on it. I think that show is five bucks to get in, so everybody meet me there. No, really...just drop what you're doing and meet me at the Machine Shop in Flint. It'll be worth it. I'll even wear the assless chaps.
I leave you with a video of a great BSC song, Hell or High Water:
The last time I saw Black Stone Cherry live, I'd never heard of them and they didn't even have a CD out. But they sure made an impression, this quartet of barely-out-of-high-school rockers with a sound beyond their years and a rhythm section that would jump start King Tut. That was a few years ago. Fast forward to my hearing them on the radio last summer, and purchasing their CD, then proceeding to play the fuck out of it. Now cut to last night, wherein I drove up to Muskegon to catch BSC open for Saliva at a club called Cadillac Jack's. No offense to Saliva (I know one of their songs, Click Click Boom, and I like it a lot), but they were not the main attraction for me; my mission was to see if the lads from Kentucky could still burn up the stage the way they had last time I saw 'em.
There was a Grand Rapids-based band opening the whole show, a group called Pop Evil. They put on a short but fun, energetic show; the cute little lead singer even took his shirt off and stood up on the railing to sing (after which he declared that his legs felt like he'd been up there pooping). I even recognized their single that gets some local play:
The bar is set up in kind of an odd way for live music, as it's a long, narrow room, and the stage is on one side, rather than on the far end. I decided to just stand up by the stage, since I didn't plan to stay for the whole show. It worked out well, as I met some folks while we were waiting, and we hung out the rest of the time I was there. That's the one thing I really dislike about attending these things alone: if I need to get a drink or go to the bathroom, my spot is gone. But last night, I had somebody to save my place while I wandered off, and also some conversation between shows, so it was even a little more fun than it would've been.
When BSC took the stage, the girl I was talking to said, "Wow, they are young!" And they are. They're really just babies. Babies who make a joyful and raucous noise.
What can I say? The guys are all monstrously talented at their instruments, and lead vocalist Chris Robertson (who also trades lead guitar duties with beatifically baby-faced Ben Wells) has a voice that starts right in his balls and doesn't stop until it hits you right between the eyes (or the chin, depending on your preference). By the time their hour-long set was over, I was a sweaty but thoroughly satisfied mess...god, I needed a smoke right about then!
It was so hot crammed in by the stage that I decided to go with my original plan and split after BSC played. I've just about got myself talked into going to see them in Flint at the end of the month, where they will headline and play much longer than an hour. I'm confident I can find my CD by then (I looked for it last night to no avail) so I can get their scribbles on it. I think that show is five bucks to get in, so everybody meet me there. No, really...just drop what you're doing and meet me at the Machine Shop in Flint. It'll be worth it. I'll even wear the assless chaps.
I leave you with a video of a great BSC song, Hell or High Water:
Katy Barzedor proclaimed this to be so at 11:34 AM
6 of you felt the overwhelming need to say somethin':
But did you find any gay men there?
I like the BSC sound. After I listened to it for a while I thought the lead singer reminded me, a bit, of Bob Seeger.
*was going to play vids until SOMEne mentioned Seeger*
RSG - actually, I think I found at least one! Things are looking up. :)
Squirl - He does have the same raspiness, but his voice is a lot lower than Seger's. And he's approximately 100 years younger than Seger. ;)
Mr. B - *sigh* For someone who will voluntarily listen to Geddy Lee, you sure bitch about perfectly good singers a lot! What, no love for the boys from Kentucky?
Hmm...you "made" me listen to them on their site, and I want to go to that show but it's a loooooooooong ass drive...although I'll be headed east anyway, its the north part that's a pain in the ass, but then...you did mention assless chaps, and how on earth could I really pass that up?
Wow! Sounds good, Bucky. I've not been to a live show since the last time Bonepony was in Louisville, whenever that was. And I was definitely the oldest dude in the place.
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